Snowthrowers are known having upright chutes through which a snow stream is thrown. Such chutes are rotatable about a vertical axis to vary the direction of the snow stream being thrown through the chute relative to the snowthrower. If the chute points forwardly, then the snow stream will be thrown forwardly in front of the snowthrower. However, if the chute is rotated to one side or the other, then the snow stream will be thrown laterally to the side to which the chute is directed. The chute can be left in intermediate rotated positions where the snow stream is thrown both partially forwardly and partially to one side.
Most snowthrowers having rotatable chutes usually have a pivotal deflector atop the chute. The angle of inclination of the deflector on the chute controls the trajectory of the snow stream. The deflector is usually formed with an integral handle. The user can grab the handle to manually move the deflector to an adjusted position. The friction between the deflector and the chute retains the deflector in an adjusted position.
While the use of friction to hold the deflector in place is effective, the friction between the deflector and the chute must be quite strong in order to do this. Thus, the deflector often feels very stiff when the operator grabs the handle to adjust the deflector. The operator must sometimes apply a great deal of force to pivotally adjust the deflector. This can be difficult for some operators to do.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,333, which is owned by the assignee of this invention, discloses a deflector that is remotely operated by a pivotal control handle carried on the rearwardly and upwardly extending handle assembly of the snowthrower, rather than by a handle physically attached to the deflector. The control handle is coupled by a mechanical linkage to the deflector. A positive latch is provided in the linkage to lock the position of the deflector in place. Thus, the friction between the deflector and the chute can be lessened since a latch takes the place of the friction.
However, the approach disclosed in the 333 patent, namely the use of a remotely located control handle and a mechanical connecting linkage, is more complex and costly. It is not well suited from an expense standpoint for use on smaller, less expensive snowthrowers. The use of a simple handle directly and physically attached to the deflector is far less expensive and is the simplest way of physically pivoting the deflector. However, there is a need in the snowthrower art to be able to more easily move such a deflector but to have the deflector securely remain in any adjusted position.